Wofford named a ‘best value’ by Kiplinger’s

Guide includes Wofford among the top 100 liberal art colleges

2012-10-25

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has included Wofford College at #36 on its list of the country’s best values in private colleges. Kiplinger’s annual list ranks 100 private universities and 100 liberal arts colleges. The top 50 colleges and top 50 universities appear in Kiplinger’s December issue – on newsstands Nov. 6.

Wofford and the other institutions included in the 2012-13 list represent the colleges that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable cost during these continued tough economic times. The colleges exemplify the attributes parents and students look for in higher education, including small class sizes, a good first-year student retention rate, and a high four-year graduation rate. Wofford has appeared on the list multiple times.

“Kiplinger’s list of the best private colleges has become a recognized and respected resource for families researching the best value in college education,” says Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. “The schools on this year’s list offer students both academic excellence and affordability, which is increasingly important in this challenging economic landscape.”

Wofford also was highlighted as being among the 10 private institutions where the net price per student – the annual cost after financial aid – is $20,000 a year or less. “These schools share a commitment to making college affordable, but they also represent private education in all its variety,” the magazine says, noting that the list includes Ivy League schools, institutions with a religious orientation, some with fewer than 500 undergraduates and one that offers free tuition.

Wofford continues to stack up very well by national standards on most comparisons that weighs costs and quality. Earlier this year, Forbes magazine (www.forbes.com) ranked Wofford 73rd among the top 75 colleges and universities in the country in its annual rankings of “America’s Best Colleges,” and Wofford was the highest ranked South Carolina institution on the list.

Also this year, Wofford again was listed among the 75 “best values” by Princeton Review, which also included the college in its 2013 edition of “The Best 377 Colleges.” Wofford is the only South Carolina institution on the “best value” list and was among the 135 “Best Southeastern Colleges.”

U.S. News & World Report put Wofford 27th among 40 national liberal arts colleges in its “best value” list, while including the college in its 2013 “Americas Best Colleges” ranking.